Ham in a can? Oh, happy I am!

Have you heard of deviled ham before?  I'm sure folks cringe at the thought of pureed ham in a can.  Certainly a "food product" such as this is something devilish indeed, no?

My childhood memories of my brown bag lunches are not fond, not at all.  My wheat bread would be soggy from the mayonnaise that had been lounging for a few hours in my backpack.  With 6 kids in the family, Mom was on a very tight grocery budget, so I only ever knew the cheap, grisly, chewy ham until I was 17 and discovered Subway.  My soggy, warm ham sandwiches did not instill in me an excitement for food and neither did the crunchy granola bar or tart Granny Smith apple.  No one ever wanted to trade lunches with me and I couldn't blame them as I coveted after their juice boxes, fruity Gushers, and hot pizza.

Once in awhile we'd get a deluxe sandwich at home.  Oh, blessed, deviled ham.  I have no idea how Mom discovered it or when she introduced me.  It feels like I've know deviled ham my entire life and I'm so glad I came to love it at a young age.  Thank you, Mom!  I mean the idea is repulsive...especially now that I try to buy organic, preservative-free everything.

Today, nothing made me and my 14 week old bun in the oven happier!  Two delicious slices of sourdough bread, a generous helping of mayo and mustard, crunchy bread & butter pickles, and a good slathering of deviled ham equated to pure bliss!  (How gross is it to even describe SLATHERING your meat on your sandwich?  Gross, right?  But SOO GOOD!)

Check this out!  You can make your own deviled ham at home!!!! I don't know if I'm brave enough to put a whole ham in a Vitamix yet.  Don't know that I can handle the grinding process.  Ignorance is bliss and after dealing with the first trimester, that's all I want is tummy-bliss! ;)


WINNING DEVILED HAM RECIPE from the Food Network

Ingredients

• 1 pound smoked ham, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup prepared mustard
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Use as a sandwich filling or spread on crackers for a snack.

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Or look at this!  Deviled ham plus green olives?!  Could this get any better?

DEVILED HAM FINGER SANDWICHES

Ingredients

1

pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1

can (4.25 oz.) deviled ham

1/4

cup KRAFT Real Mayo Mayonnaise

10

small stuffed green olives, finely chopped

36

slices white bread, crusts removed

make it

MIX cream cheese, ham, mayo and olives until well blended.

SPREAD each of 18 of the bread slices with about 2 Tbsp. of the cream cheese mixture. Cover with remaining bread slices to make 18 sandwiches.

CUT each sandwich into quarters.

kraft kitchens tips

MAKE AHEAD

Prepare cream cheese mixture as directed. Cover and refrigerate up to 5 days. Spread onto bread slices and continue as directed. For easier spreading, mix 1 Tbsp. milk with the chilled cream cheese mixture before spreading onto bread slices. Or, prepare sandwiches as directed but do not cut into quarters. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into quarters just before serving.